Talent triumphed over training, activity and several other factors as national men’s singles champion Godfrey Munroe successfully defended his title when the Vita Malt 2010 national Open table tennis championships climaxed at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall last night.
Munroe, who won his second men’s singles title in 2008 when the championships were last held, came out victorious in the final four round robin showdown with United States-based Paul David, Christopher Franklyn and 2008 men’s singles runner-up Colin France.
Long considered the heir apparent to Sydney Christophe, who ruled men’s table tennis for well over a decade, Munroe had been relatively inactive since winning the title and he now joins Colin France as players who have won the men’s singles crown three times.
Christophe has the most titles followed by Mike Baptiste.
Despite being the national men’s champion, Munroe had opted out of the national team’s participation at last year’s Caribbean TT championships in French Guiana, this year’s CAC Games in Puerto Rico and the Commonwealth Games in India.
And, when he lost the opening match of the four-man round robin final to David, hopes of a successful title defence appeared dashed and David, who was playing beautifully, appeared the likely winner.
But in the second round, the pendulum swung in Franklyn’s favour when he survived a spirited fight back from David to secure his second win following his 3-0 win over France in the opening round.
In the titanic battle, Franklyn seemed home and dry leading 9-3 in the fifth and decisive game before David won seven straight points to lead 10-9.
With service in hand and the championship on the line, David missed a forehand loop allowing Franklyn back into the game and he subsequently took the rubber.
Munroe needed to win the final game against Franklyn by a 3-1 score to retain the title and he did even better winning 3-0 against Franklyn who never seemed as if he craved, or coveted the particular accolade of national champion.
Munroe’s win meant a three way tie with himself, David and Franklyn all ending with two wins but Munroe was declared the champions after finishing with the best record of five games won as against three games lost.
David ended with five games won and five games lost to take second place, while Franklyn placed third with three games won as against five games lost.
France occupied the fourth and final position after losing all three of his match ups in the round robin final.
On his way to the title win Munroe disposed of France 3-0 (11-3, 12-10, 14-12) and Franklin 3-0 (13-11, 11-9, 11-7), but fell to David 2-3 (3-11, 12-10, 4-11, 12-10, 5-11).
David defeated France 3-0 (11-5, 11-1, 11-3), but lost to Franklyn 2-3 (5-11, 16-14, 11-9, 8-11, 10-12) while Franklyn also got past France 3-0 (11-6, 11-8, 11-9) before losing to Munroe.
In the women’s round robin final overseas-based Trenace Lowe hardly worked up a sweat in the four player round robin final and duly captured her first national women’s crown.
Lowe crushed all her competitors to end the female round robin final undefeated and without dropping a set.
In what could be termed an upset Chelsea Edghill continued her impressive showing in the tournament to claim the runner up spot a tremendous achievement for the 13-year-old Bishops’ High School student while Nathalie Cummings and Saskia Chung were third and fourth respectively.
Lowe defeated, Chelsea Edghill 3-0 (11-9, 11-7, 11-3), Cummings 3-0 (11-6, 11-6, 12-10) and Saskia Chung 3-0 (11-5, 14-12, 11-4).
Edghill toppled Cumings 3-1 (11-7, 11-6, 11-8, 8-11) and Chung 3-0 (11-8, 11-8, 11-7) while Cummings defeated Chung 3-0 (11-5, 11-6, 11-7).
In the Masters competition, Xenophen Goliath defeated Trevor Lowe in the final of the over 50 years category. Patrick Triumph and Raynor Anderson were third and fourth respectively.
Michael Vieira is the new champion of the 55 years and over category coming out ahead of Goliath, Brentnol Richards and Muniram Persaud in that order.
Vieira also won the 60 years and over category.
At the closing ceremony and presentation of prizes which followed Nigel Bryan who won the Under-18 category and took Franklyn to seven games in their men’s quarter final clash and Edghill who won multiple titles, were declared the most outstanding male and female players of the tournament.
Edghill and Denzel Duff were also adjudged the most improved players while the most disciplined player awards went to David and Lowe.
